Read Online Run, Zan, Run by Cathy MacPhail - Free Book Online Page A

breaking the trust of my clients at all when I say it, but,’ he looked again at Katie, directing his words only at her, ‘there are thousands of children disappear each year. Some of them are never found. Their parents are left not knowing what happened to them. Some of these parents spend the rest of their lives searching for their children.’ He paused, a little too much like an actor playing a part for Katie’s liking. ‘Some of them hire people like me, Katie.’
    There he went with the ‘Katie’ again.
    ‘I know I would,’ her mother said, drawing Katie to her as if she might disappear at any moment. ‘I’d never give up trying to find my child.’
    ‘I have a news-clipping service,’ Mr Whittaker went on, ‘sends me any stories about girls, just about this age, begging in the streets, homeless, whatever. Then Ifollow it up. I have followed so many false trails over the past few months, you wouldn’t believe.’
    ‘Well, that’s what this is, a false trail,’ Katie burst out. ‘There is no homeless girl living on the dump. I made her up.’ She swallowed. ‘I lied.’
    Mr Whittaker’s deep sunk eyes never left her. ‘But … she keeps cropping up in other stories.’
    Katie shrugged. She didn’t know what to say to that. She couldn’t try to tell him she was the other girl. Not in front of her parents.
    ‘Katie!’ Her father’s voice was stern. ‘No one means this girl any harm. It’s nonsense carrying on with this story that she doesn’t exist!’
    ‘I don’t know why you won’t believe me. Why would I lie about it?’ She forced herself to look at Mr Whittaker, though something in those eyes made her shiver. ‘I’m sorry, but you may as well go. You’re wasting your time.’ And she fled from the living-room and up the stairs before anyone could say another word.
    ‘Leave her be, Katherine,’ she heard her father say. ‘She’s not going to change her story.’
    Katie listened, her bedroom door ajar.
    ‘Why would she lie, Douglas? She’s never lied to us before.’
    ‘I’m sorry, Mr Whittaker,’ her father said. ‘And perhaps my wife’s right. Perhaps Katie is telling the truth. I’ve been all over this town, the derelict properties, the dump, and I’ve seen no sign of this girl either.’
    Katie held her breath, waiting for Whittaker’s reply. ‘Please,’ she prayed, ‘let him go away. Let him forget all about Zan.’
    Finally, Mr Whittaker answered. ‘If you don’t mind, Mr Cassidy, I’ll just hang about the town for a bit. I know it might be for nothing. But my clients wouldn’t want me to give up without making sure.’
    That night Katie had yet another worry to add to all the rest. Mr Whittaker! Maybe Zan wasn’t the girl he was looking for. She couldn’t be. Katie imagined his clients, loving, caring parents – just like her own. No, he couldn’t be looking for Zan. She wouldn’t be afraid to go back if she had parents like that.
    Yet … if it wasn’t Zan he was looking for, why was Katie so afraid he might find her?
    She was still thinking it over as she trailed her schoolbag into class next day. So lost in thought she didn’t hear the door slam behind her, or realize that she was alone in theclassroom with her arch enemy. Ivy!
    ‘Think you’re pretty smart, don’t ye?’
    Katie jumped out of her reverie at the sound of the voice. ‘What?’
    ‘Don’t act the wee miss innocent wi’ me, Cassidy. You might have scared the Posse oot of their knickers, but no’ me. No’ Ivy Toner.’
    No’ much, Katie wanted to say. She certainly hadn’t given Katie any trouble since Zan had scared the knickers off Ivy. The thought of it made Katie giggle. This was the last thing Ivy could stand. Her eyes bulged, her face went red. She would have lunged at Katie. Katie was even ready to make a quick getaway if she did. But just at that moment the classroom erupted with noise. The door was flung open and a group of pupils came in, surrounding the teacher.